Electric comb for the hair



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. M. WILDEY ELECTRIC COMB FOR THE mm:

Filed March 25. 1927 Aug. 20, 1929.

Aug. 20, 1929. WILDEY ELECTRIC COMB FOR THE HAIR 2 Sheets-Shet FiledMarch 25, 1927 Patented Aug. 20 1929.

EDWARD MILTON WILDEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC COMB FOR THE HAIR.

Application filed March 25, 1927, Serial No..178,1 86, and in GreatBritain August 30, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in electric hair combs.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electric hair combin which comb members are provided in spaced rows, being directly incircuit with a removable battery, forming part of the comb, the circuitbeing closed by the comb members being passed through the hair.

In order that the present invention may be the more readily and clearlyunderstood, reference is made to the accompanying two sheets of drawingsin which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation and Figs. 2 and 3sectional plan and end views respectively of one form of comb accordingto the present invention.

Fig. 4. is an end sectional view of a variant construction.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end views res ectively of anothermodification in which the battery is mounted at the back of the combmembers, while Figs. 7 8 and 9 are respectively side, plan and end viewsin section'of a further variant.

Fig. 10 shows a lamp and clip capable of being attached to the comb foruse as a torch.

According to one feature of the present invention two spaced apartparallel rows of teeth or comb-members 1, 2 are mounted on or in aninsulating strip 3 by which the teeth 4, 5 of the comb-members aresupported in fixed non-contacting relationship to make them operativefor combing, and preferably with the teeth of one member in staggeredrelation with respect to the teeth of the other.

The points of the teeth may fall in different planes or in the sameplane. If in the same plane the ends of the teeth may lie in that planeforsome or a substantial part of their length.

The insulating strip 3 may intrude below the roots of the respectiverows of teeth and such intruding portion may be rounded so as to protectthe hair from injuriously contacting with such roots should finishingdifiiculties have stepped in to cause these to have been left in a roughcondition.

A convenient form of the insulating strip 3 is that of a rod of, forexample, round or half-round section, having parallel longitudinalgrooves 6, 7 in which the backs of fiat strip-like comb-members '1, 2are fixed by insulated rivets 8 or screws of insulating material.

The material between the comb-members 1, 2 may project as a longitudinalsmooth edge rib 9 which intrudes between the rows of teeth below theroots thereof.

In this arrangement the comb-members 1, 2 may be formed separately bystamping from suitable metal strip.

Otherwise, associated comb-members 1, 2 may be formed out of one pieceof strip in which in the blank the respective rows of teeth project onopposite sides of a medial continuous strip which by appropriatelyfolding the blank longitudinally upon itself is given a part cylindricalor some other shaped fold, 10, Fig. 4 in which is inserted and fixed aninsulating member 11, the combmembers 1, 2 being electrically separatedby cutting a slot 12 along the fold, for example, along the top of thefold.

Comb-members 1, 2 thus insulated and supported may be inserted in aslotted insulating sleeve 13 which may have a handle which may be as anintegral or separate prolongation thereof.

A comb such as is hereinabove referred to may have a chambered back 14or handle 15 in which is carried a battery 16 suitably electricallyconnected to the comb-members.

For example, the comb may have a (hambered back 14: of insulatingmaterial to receive a battery 16 lying along the back of the comb.

The battery may have the positive terminal 17 at one end and thenegative terminal 18 at the other end. and one comb-member may beextended to form or may have a fixed conducting strip 19 to contact withone terminal, and the other comb-member may electrically connect with afolding contact 20 or some other kind of temporary or permanent switchto make contact with the other terminal.

Or, as another example, the comb back insulation may beprolonged andadapted to receive a screw-on or push-on chambered handle 15 ofinsulating material in alignment with the comb back to receive abattery, for example, a battery 16 similar to that above referred to.

This handle may have a screw-on or pushon cap 21 of insulating materialto engage its free end preferably up to a definite stop 22 by which apush-in or screw-in switch component 23, carried by the crown of the cap21, is properly positioned each and every time the cap is replaced.

As before, the switch, whether temporary or permanent, relates onecomb-member with one terminal of the battery through the conductingstrip 24, and the other comb-member is appropriated electricallyconnected wlth the other terminal, for example, through the conductingstrip 25.

Yielding means may be interposed between the comb-members 1, 2 and thebattery if desired, and such yielding means may be the electricalconducting means 25.

A simple serviceable switch construction comprises a springy conductingstrip 24 leading from a comb-member along the inside of the chamberedhandle 15, the free end being folded to lie behind a stud terminal atone end of the battery 16 and being adapted to be pressed into contacttherewith by the push-in or screw-in button or stud 23 mounted in thecrown end of the cap 21.

The fixed end of the conducting strip 24 or 25, may be inserted andgripped between or soldered to the back of the corresponding comb-memberand the groove in which the comb-member is inserted.

Use may be made of a comb substantially as hereinbefore described as anelectric torch by appropriately relating an electric lamp to thebattery.

For example a lamp 26 may be supplied having spring blade terminals 27,28 adapted to be pressed between or over the comb-members 1, 2 andspring open into contact therewith and close the circuit across thecombmembers.

Gonnections such as pin and socket, two way switches, and others may beused for this alternative use as a torch.

An example of a variant construction is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 havingtwo combmembers 29, 30 of suitable conducting material preferably steel.The comb-members 29, 30 as shown may be of the well known wire toothconstruction, with the usual metal back 31, the teeth of thecomb-members extending for about one half of the length of the metalback, the other half of which constitutes the handle or a part thereof.

As in the previously described embodiments, the comb-members 29, 30 maybe insulated from each other by the insulating member 3 which hasshallow longitudinal grooves 6, 7 to receive the backs 31 of thecomb-members. The comb-members are secured to the grooved insulatingmember 3 by rivets or screws 32. The holes to receive these rivets orscrews 32 are drilled through both combs and the rib 9 of the insulatingstrip 3, one half of the holes 33,34 in each comb being enlarged, andthe enlarged holes 33 in one comb coinciding with, the nonenlarged holes34 in the other comb. The enlarged hole in one comb enables the rivetand rivet head to be passed therethrough, so that finally the stem ofthe rivet fits snugly into the corresponding small hole in the othercomb, while the head of the rivet is seated in the side of theinsulating rib 9 so that the rivet shall not bridge the two combmembers.

The handle portions of the combs are bent in such a manner that togetherthey form a prong 35, the root portion of which is close to the teeth ofthe combs. Into this prong is mounted longitudinally an electric battery16 such as hereinbefore referred to, one pole of which is at the freeend of the prong and the other pole is at the root end of the prong. Tothe free end of one of the prong members a socket or clip (not shown)may be provided for the support of the corresponding end of the battery,a spring 36 of conducting material is fixed to the free end of oneprong.

A handle cover is provided in the form of a sheath 3?, made ofinsulating material. The outer end of the sheath is closed, this portionlongitudinally has a threaded hole to take the screw 23 for the purposeof adjusting the contact spring 36 to the pole of the battery 16. Thesheath 37 is moulded to the form of the contour of a cross section ofthe prong members and the enclosed battery and is adapted to slip intoposition over the prong and battery and be frictionally held in positionthereon by slightly bowing the prong members.

The spring 38 at the inner end of the battery may be caused to contactwith the battery pole by a lever hinged at one end in a longitudinalslot in an extended portion of the insulating member 3.

The lever at its free end is formed in a suitable manner so as to beoperated by the thumb or finger pressure of the hand operating thedevice. It is supported against pressure by a suitable spring fixedpreferably to the sheath.

WVhat I claim is 1. An electric hair comb comprising an insulatingstrip, two spaced conducting comb members carried by said strip, achambered handle connected to said strip, a removable battery in saidhandle, a springy conducting strip leading from one comb member alongthe inside of said handle, the free end of said strip lying near oneterminal of said battery, a push-piece. for pressing the free end ofsaid strip against said terminal, a second strip connected to the othercomb member and contacting with the other terminal of said battery, saidcomb members being thereby connected directly in circuit with saidbattery, the circuit being closed by said comb members being passedthrough the hair. 7

the other comb member to the other terminal of said battery, saidmembers being thereby 10 connected directly in circuit with saidbattery, the circuit being closed by said comb members being passedthrough the hair.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

EDYVARD MILTON VVILDEY.

